وَلَمّا تَبَرَّجَ خُضرُ البِطاحِ

وَلَمّا تَبَرَّجَ خُضرُ البِطاحِ

تَوَهَّمتُها جُهِّزَت حَجَّلا

تَوَهَّمتُها جُهِّزَت حَجَّلا

And when the verdure of the lowlands unveiled itself,

And when the green lowlands displayed their finery,

I fancied it bridal chambers being arrayed.

I imagined them bridal chambers made ready.

وَهَزَّ الرِياحُ مِنَ القُضُبِ فيهِ

وَهَزَّ الرِياحُ مِنَ القُضُبِ فيهِ

قَناً لَم يُثَقَّف وَلا نُصِّلا

قَناً لَم يُثَقَّف وَلا نُصِّلا

And there among the branches shook the winds

And the winds shook there, from the boughs,

spear-shafts neither straightened nor fitted with blades.

spear-shafts neither straightened nor fitted with blades.

وَلَولا دَليلٌ مِنَ الرِيِّ لَم

وَلَولا دَليلٌ مِنَ الرِيِّ لَم

أُمَيِّز مِنَ الصارِمِ الجَدوَلا

أُمَيِّز مِنَ الصارِمِ الجَدوَلا

Had not the wind supplied the proof, I could not

But for the evidence of quenched thirst, I could not

have distinguished the flowing stream from the keen-edged sword.

distinguish the brook from a keen sword.

وَقَد سَقَطَ النورُ فَوقَ الغَديرِ

وَقَد سَقَطَ النورُ فَوقَ الغَديرِ

فَأَثبَتَت في دِرعِهِ أَنصُلا

فَأَثبَتَت في دِرعِهِ أَنصُلا

Blossoms had already fallen upon the pool

And blossoms had fallen upon the pool,

and planted blades within its coat of mail.

setting blades in its coat of mail.

وَقابَلَتِ الكاسُ وَجهَ الرَبيعِ

وَقابَلَتِ الكاسُ وَجهَ الرَبيعِ

وَسَجعَ الحَمامِ فَما أَجمَلا

وَسَجعَ الحَمامِ فَما أَجمَلا

The winecup met the face of spring,

And the cup greeted spring's face

and the doves cooed—how beautiful it was!

and the doves' cooing—how lovely!

كَما قابَلَ العيدُ وَجهَ الوَزيرِ

كَما قابَلَ العيدُ وَجهَ الوَزيرِ

وَسَجعَ ثَناءٍ لَهُ رُتِّلا

وَسَجعَ ثَناءٍ لَهُ رُتِّلا

Just as the feast met the vizier’s face,

as Eid greeted the minister's face

and praise of him rang out in measured cadence.

and the rhymed praise chanted for him.

مَضى رَمَضانُ كَثيرَ الثَناءِ

مَضى رَمَضانُ كَثيرَ الثَناءِ

عَلَيكَ وَوَدَّعَ لا عَن قِلى

عَلَيكَ وَوَدَّعَ لا عَن قِلى

Ramadan passed, lavish in praise

Ramadan passed, full of praise

of you, and bade farewell without aversion.

for you, and bade farewell—not out of aversion.

فَلَو كانَ يَنطِقُ شَهرُ الصِيامِ

فَلَو كانَ يَنطِقُ شَهرُ الصِيامِ

لَقامَ بِشُكرِكَ بَينَ المَلا

لَقامَ بِشُكرِكَ بَينَ المَلا

Had the month of fasting been able to speak,

Had the month of fasting been able to speak,

it would have risen to thank you before the assembly.

it would have risen to thank you before the assembly.

وَلَو صافَحَ العيدُ شَخصاً إِذَن

وَلَو صافَحَ العيدُ شَخصاً إِذَن

لَصافَحَكَ العيدُ إِذ أَقبَلا

لَصافَحَكَ العيدُ إِذ أَقبَلا

And if the feast could clasp a person’s hand,

And had Eid shaken hands with anyone, then

it would clasp yours upon arriving.

Eid would have shaken yours when it arrived.

أَسَلتَ الدُموعَ بِهِ خاشِعاً

أَسَلتَ الدُموعَ بِهِ خاشِعاً

وَصَوبَ اللُهى مُنعِماً مُفضِلا

وَصَوبَ اللُهى مُنعِماً مُفضِلا

In Ramadan you made tears flow in humility,

You made tears flow during it, humbly devout,

and poured forth delight, bestowing bounty and favor.

and a downpour of gifts, generous and bountiful.

هُما لِلهُدى وَالتُقى ديمَتانِ

هُما لِلهُدى وَالتُقى ديمَتانِ

فَغَرسُ الفَضائِلِ لَن يَذبُلا

فَغَرسُ الفَضائِلِ لَن يَذبُلا

Those two are enduring rainclouds of guidance and piety,

They are two steady rains for guidance and piety;

so the virtues they sow will never wither.

so the planting of virtues will never wither.

وَأَحيا قِيامُكَ لَيلَ التَمامِ

وَأَحيا قِيامُكَ لَيلَ التَمامِ

وَأَحيا نَداكَ الثَرى المُمحَلا

وَأَحيا نَداكَ الثَرى المُمحَلا

Your night vigil revived the full-moon night,

And your night prayers enlivened the longest night,

and your liberality revived the drought-stricken earth.

and your bounty revived the parched earth.

عَلى الحَسَنِ بنِ خَلاصٍ جَلَت

عَلى الحَسَنِ بنِ خَلاصٍ جَلَت

مَعاني الكَمالِ الَّذي أَشكَلا

مَعاني الكَمالِ الَّذي أَشكَلا

Al-Hasan ibn Khalas rose high, and manifest became

In al-Hasan ibn Khalas shone forth

the meanings of perfection that he embodied.

the meanings of perfection that had been obscure.

تَسَمّى مُدِلّاً بِأَفعالِهِ

تَسَمّى مُدِلّاً بِأَفعالِهِ

وَساعَدَهُ الجَدُّ فَاِستَرسَلا

وَساعَدَهُ الجَدُّ فَاِستَرسَلا

His deeds bore witness to the name he earned,

He bore his name, confident in his deeds,

and good fortune aided him, giving him free rein.

and fortune aided him, so he advanced freely.

وَحَتمٌ مُضاءُ ظُبى ذي الفَقارِ

وَحَتمٌ مُضاءُ ظُبى ذي الفَقارِ

فَكَيفَ إِذا وافَقَ المُنصُلا

فَكَيفَ إِذا وافَقَ المُنصُلا

The keenness of Dhu’l-Fiqar’s blades is certain—

And the keenness of Dhu al-Fiqar's edges is certain;

how much keener when they meet a drawn sword!

so how much more when it meets the keen sword!

تَرى بِشرَهُ في أَوانِ اللِقا

تَرى بِشرَهُ في أَوانِ اللِقا

جَميلاً وَما بَعدَهُ أَجمَلا

جَميلاً وَما بَعدَهُ أَجمَلا

You see his cheerful countenance at battle-time,

You see his smiling welcome at the moment of meeting

beautiful—and what follows is more beautiful still.

as beautiful, and what follows as more beautiful.

وَتُبصِرُ أَرماحَهُ في الوَغى

وَتُبصِرُ أَرماحَهُ في الوَغى

أَطوَلا وَأَسعُدَهُ أَتوَلا

أَطوَلا وَأَسعُدَهُ أَتوَلا

You see his spears amid the fray,

And you see his lances in battle

the longest, while his good fortune lasts still longer.

longer, and his forearms more spellbinding.

يُمَيِّلُ مِنهُ اِرتِياحُ النَدى

يُمَيِّلُ مِنهُ اِرتِياحُ النَدى

مَعاطِفَ ما مَيَّلَتها الطَلا

مَعاطِفَ ما مَيَّلَتها الطَلا

Generous ardor sways within him,

His delight in giving sways

in shoulders that wine has never made sway.

shoulders that wine has never swayed.

فَما يَتَّقي الدينُ أَن يَعتَدي

فَما يَتَّقي الدينُ أَن يَعتَدي

وَما يَتَّقي المالُ أَن يَعدِلا

وَما يَتَّقي المالُ أَن يَعدِلا

Faith need never fear that he will transgress,

Religion does not fear that he will transgress,

nor wealth hope that he will show restraint.

and wealth does not fear that he will treat it justly.

سَبيلُ الوَرى وَسَبيلُ الوَزيرِ

سَبيلُ الوَرى وَسَبيلُ الوَزيرِ

أَن يَسأَلوهُ وَأَن يَبذُلا

أَن يَسأَلوهُ وَأَن يَبذُلا

The way of mankind and the way of the vizier

The way of mankind and the minister's way

is that they ask him, and he bestows.

are that they ask him and that he gives freely.

وَما يَمنَعُ الغَيثُ مِن أَن يَجودَ

وَما يَمنَعُ الغَيثُ مِن أَن يَجودَ

وَلا يَأنَفُ الرَوضُ أَن يُسأَلا

وَلا يَأنَفُ الرَوضُ أَن يُسأَلا

What prevents the raincloud from pouring generously

Rain does not hold back from giving freely,

when the meadow does not disdain to ask?

nor does the garden disdain being asked.

لَهُ هِمَمٌ فُتنَ عِزَّ النُجومِ

لَهُ هِمَمٌ فُتنَ عِزَّ النُجومِ

وَمالٌ عَلى الذُلِّ قَد عَوَّلا

وَمالٌ عَلى الذُلِّ قَد عَوَّلا

His aspirations have put the pride of the stars to the test,

He has ambitions that have surpassed the stars' loftiness,

and his wealth has resolved to be brought low.

and wealth that has resolved upon abasement.

يَقولُ نَعَم وَهيَ دَأبٌ لَهُ

يَقولُ نَعَم وَهيَ دَأبٌ لَهُ

فَيُثمِرُ أَسرَعَ مِن لا وَلا

فَيُثمِرُ أَسرَعَ مِن لا وَلا

He says “Yes”—it is his constant habit—

He says 'yes,' as is his habit,

and it bears fruit faster than “no” or “never.”

and bears fruit faster than 'no' and 'no.'

وَيا رُبَّ نارٍ مِنَ الحادِثاتِ

وَيا رُبَّ نارٍ مِنَ الحادِثاتِ

أَطفا وَنارِ قِرىً أَشعَلا

أَطفا وَنارِ قِرىً أَشعَلا

How many a fire of calamity

And oh, how many fires of calamity

has he quenched, while kindling hospitality’s fire!

he quenched, and fires of hospitality he kindled!

هُمامٌ مَحاريبُهُ وَالحُروبُ

هُمامٌ مَحاريبُهُ وَالحُروبُ

تُسقى المُفَصِّلَ وَالفَيصَلا

تُسقى المُفَصِّلَ وَالفَيصَلا

A valiant man—his prayer niches and his wars

A valiant man, whose prayer niches and battles

give drink to the Mufassal and the decisive blade.

are watered with the short Qur'anic surahs and the cleaving sword.

يَشُلُّ الكَتائِبَ عِندَ النِزالِ

يَشُلُّ الكَتائِبَ عِندَ النِزالِ

وَيَتلو الكِتابَ كَما نُزِّلِا

وَيَتلو الكِتابَ كَما نُزِّلِا

He scatters battalions when combat begins,

He routs the battalions when battle is joined,

and recites the Book just as it was revealed.

and recites the Book just as it was revealed.

لَهُ دَعوَةُ الأَمرِ في حَفلِهِ

لَهُ دَعوَةُ الأَمرِ في حَفلِهِ

وَأُخرى إِلى اللَهِ مَهما خَلا

وَأُخرى إِلى اللَهِ مَهما خَلا

He has one commanding summons in his assembly,

His is the summons of command in his assembly,

and another addressed to God whenever he is alone.

and another to God whenever he is alone.

يَصولُ بِهَذي لِكَي تُقتَفى

يَصولُ بِهَذي لِكَي تُقتَفى

وَيَخضَعُ في ذي لِكَي تُقبَلا

وَيَخضَعُ في ذي لِكَي تُقبَلا

With the former he advances, that others may follow;

He asserts his might with the former, that it may be obeyed,

with the latter he bows, that it may be accepted.

and humbles himself in the latter, that it may be accepted.

فَهَذي تُفَتِّحُ بابَ السَما

فَهَذي تُفَتِّحُ بابَ السَما

وَذي تَفتَحُ البَلَدَ المُقفَلا

وَذي تَفتَحُ البَلَدَ المُقفَلا

The latter opens the gate of heaven,

The latter opens heaven's gate,

and the former opens the locked city.

and the former opens the bolted city.

لَكَ اللَهُ فَاِنهَض بِجَيشِ القَضا

لَكَ اللَهُ فَاِنهَض بِجَيشِ القَضا

وَحارِب عِداكَ بِهِ أَعزَلا

وَحارِب عِداكَ بِهِ أَعزَلا

God be with you—rise with the army of destiny,

God is with you; rise with the army of destiny,

and fight your enemies with it, though unarmed.

and with it fight your foes unarmed.

إِذا خَرَجَت عَن يَدَيكَ السِهامُ

إِذا خَرَجَت عَن يَدَيكَ السِهامُ

غَدا كُلُّ عُضوٍ لَها مَقتَلا

غَدا كُلُّ عُضوٍ لَها مَقتَلا

Once the arrows have left your hands,

When arrows leave your hands,

every limb becomes a place of death for them.

every limb becomes a mortal target for them.

تَدارَكتَ سَبتَةَ مِن بَعدِ ما

تَدارَكتَ سَبتَةَ مِن بَعدِ ما

وَأَحيَيتَها حينَ أَشفَت عَلى

وَأَحيَيتَها حينَ أَشفَت عَلى

You came to Ceuta’s rescue after it

You rescued Ceuta after what had happened...

had nearly perished, and revived it at the brink.

and revived her when she was on the brink...

وَلَحتَ وَمَغرِبُنا مُدبِرٌ

وَلَحتَ وَمَغرِبُنا مُدبِرٌ

فَصارَ بِكَ المَشرِقَ المُقبِلا

فَصارَ بِكَ المَشرِقَ المُقبِلا

You appeared while our West was fading;

And you shone while our Maghreb was declining,

through you it became the radiant, rising East.

and through you it became the rising East.

وَلِم لا وَحِكمَةُ لُقمانَ فيكَ

وَلِم لا وَحِكمَةُ لُقمانَ فيكَ

وَهَيبَةُ كِسرى قَدِ اِستُكمِلا

وَهَيبَةُ كِسرى قَدِ اِستُكمِلا

Why not, when your wisdom has a Luqman within you,

And why not, when Luqman's wisdom in you

and your majesty has attained a Khosrow’s perfection?

and Kisra's majesty have reached perfection?

فَلَو أَنَّ بَطشَكَ يَومَ الهِياجِ

فَلَو أَنَّ بَطشَكَ يَومَ الهِياجِ

لَدى النارِ ما سَكَنَت جَندَلا

لَدى النارِ ما سَكَنَت جَندَلا

Had fire possessed your fury on the day of battle,

If your onslaught on the day of battle

it would never have lain dormant in flint.

were fire's, it would not lie dormant in stone.

وَلَو أَنَّ نَيلَكَ عِندَ الصَبا

وَلَو أَنَّ نَيلَكَ عِندَ الصَبا

لَما هَزَّتِ الغُصُنَ المُخضَلا

لَما هَزَّتِ الغُصُنَ المُخضَلا

And had the east wind possessed your bounty,

And if the east wind had your bounty,

it would not merely have shaken the rain-drenched bough.

it would not have shaken the moist, green bough.

وَلَو دَبَّ ريقُكَ في حَيَّةٍ

وَلَو دَبَّ ريقُكَ في حَيَّةٍ

لَعادَ بِهِ سَمُّها سَلسَلا

لَعادَ بِهِ سَمُّها سَلسَلا

Were your saliva to course through a serpent,

And if your saliva coursed through a snake,

its venom would become smooth and sweet.

its venom would thereby become sweet water.

تَكادُ تُرَغِّبُ بِالعَفوِ في الذُ

تَكادُ تُرَغِّبُ بِالعَفوِ في الذُ

نوبِ وَحاشاكَ أَن تَفعَلا

نوبِ وَحاشاكَ أَن تَفعَلا

Through your pardon you almost make sin alluring—

Your pardon almost tempts one into transgres-

though far be it from you to commit such a thing.

-sions—far be it from you to do so!

فَأَيُّ اِمرِىءٍ لَم يَذُق شيمَتَيكَ

فَأَيُّ اِمرِىءٍ لَم يَذُق شيمَتَيكَ

لَم يَعرِفِ الشَهدَ وَالحَنظَلا

لَم يَعرِفِ الشَهدَ وَالحَنظَلا

No man who has not tasted your two dispositions

Whoever has not tasted your two traits

can know either honey or bitter colocynth.

has known neither honey nor colocynth.

جَرَت مِن بَنانِكَ لي بِالغِنى

جَرَت مِن بَنانِكَ لي بِالغِنى

بُحورٌ يُسَمّونَها أَنمُلا

بُحورٌ يُسَمّونَها أَنمُلا

From your fingertips there flowed to me, laden with riches,

From your fingertips flowed, to enrich me,

oceans that people call fingers.

seas that people call fingers.

فَلَو أَدرَكَ المُزنُ تِلكَ البَنانِ

فَلَو أَدرَكَ المُزنُ تِلكَ البَنانِ

لَقَبَّلَها مَعَ مَن قَبَّلا

لَقَبَّلَها مَعَ مَن قَبَّلا

Had the raincloud overtaken those fingers,

If the rain clouds could reach those fingertips,

it would have kissed them all, face-to-face.

they would kiss them with all who have kissed them.

دَعوا حِمصَ تَفعَلُ أَفعالَها

دَعوا حِمصَ تَفعَلُ أَفعالَها

فَقَلبي بِسَبتَةَ عَنها سَلا

فَقَلبي بِسَبتَةَ عَنها سَلا

Let Homs perform whatever deeds it will;

Let Hims do as she does;

my heart, in Ceuta, has forgotten it.

for in Ceuta my heart has forgotten her.

نَسيتُ بِمَوطِنِ عِزّي الأَخيرِ

نَسيتُ بِمَوطِنِ عِزّي الأَخيرِ

مَوطِنَ نَشأَتِيَ الأَوَّلا

مَوطِنَ نَشأَتِيَ الأَوَّلا

In this latter homeland of my glory I forgot

In the latest home of my honor, I forgot

the homelands of my earliest upbringing—

the first home of my upbringing,

كَما يَألَفُ السَيفُ كَفَّ الكَمِيِّ

كَما يَألَفُ السَيفُ كَفَّ الكَمِيِّ

وَيَطَّرِحُ القينَ وَالصَيقَلا

وَيَطَّرِحُ القينَ وَالصَيقَلا

as a sword grows accustomed to the valiant warrior’s palm

as the sword grows fond of the warrior's hand

and casts aside the smith and the polisher.

and casts aside the smith and the polisher.

وَقَد يَهجُرُ الطَيرُ أَوكارَهُ

وَقَد يَهجُرُ الطَيرُ أَوكارَهُ

إِذا وَجَدَ الأَمنَ وَالسُنبُلا

إِذا وَجَدَ الأَمنَ وَالسُنبُلا

A bird, too, may forsake its nests

And birds may forsake their nests

when it finds safety and grain.

when they find safety and ears of grain.

كَأَنِّيَ جَمَّعتُ مِن خاطِري

كَأَنِّيَ جَمَّعتُ مِن خاطِري

وَمِن ذِكرِكَ النارَ وَالمَندَلا

وَمِن ذِكرِكَ النارَ وَالمَندَلا

It is as though I gathered from my thoughts

It is as though I gathered from my imagination

and from remembrance of you both fire and fragrant aloeswood.

and from mention of you, fire and aloeswood.

فَقَد سارَ صيتُكَ سَيرَ الصَباحِ

فَقَد سارَ صيتُكَ سَيرَ الصَباحِ

يَجِدُّ مَعَ المُعَلِّمِ المُجهَلا

يَجِدُّ مَعَ المُعَلِّمِ المُجهَلا

Your renown has traveled as morning travels,

Your renown has traveled like the dawn,

reaching the ignorant together with the learned.

hastening through unmarked lands as through the marked.

وَعَمَّ جَداكَ عُمومَ السَحابِ

وَعَمَّ جَداكَ عُمومَ السَحابِ

يَسقي البِلادَ وَيَسقي الفَلا

يَسقي البِلادَ وَيَسقي الفَلا

Your beneficence has spread as universally as clouds,

And your bounty spread as broadly as the clouds,

watering the towns and watering the open wilds.

watering the lands and watering the wilderness.

تَفَصَّلَ وَصفُ العُلا في الكِرامِ

تَفَصَّلَ وَصفُ العُلا في الكِرامِ

وَجِئتَ بِتَفصيلِهِ مُجمَلا

وَجِئتَ بِتَفصيلِهِ مُجمَلا

The attributes of high glory are apportioned among the noble,

The qualities of greatness were apportioned among the noble,

but in you their every detail is gathered whole.

and you brought all their particulars together.

فَكُن مَعَ أَعمَرِهِم آخِراً

فَكُن مَعَ أَعمَرِهِم آخِراً

وَكُن في مَراتِبِهِم أَوَّلا

وَكُن في مَراتِبِهِم أَوَّلا

So among the longest-lived, be the last to depart,

So outlive even the longest-lived among them,

and among their ranks be first.

and be first in their ranks.

أَلا هَكَذا تُذكَرُ الصالِحاتُ

أَلا هَكَذا تُذكَرُ الصالِحاتُ

وَتُبنى المَعالي وَإِلّا فَلا

وَتُبنى المَعالي وَإِلّا فَلا

Behold—thus are righteous deeds remembered,

Indeed, this is how good deeds are remembered

and lofty glories are built—or else not at all.

and high honors built—otherwise, not at all.